Reggie Miller has never been one to shy away from controversy, the man did write an autobiography titled I Love Being the Enemy. Known as one of the most effusive trash talkers in his time in the league, Miller was best known for his rivalry with the Knicks and superfan Spike Lee, verbally sparring with Lee and Kinicks alike during a series of playoff matches from 1993-2000. The teams met six times during this span, and even when the Knicks prevailed, Miller managed to shine,, even earning the moniker The Knick Killer, most famously in 1995’s 8 points in 9 seconds.
While the Knicks and Pacers rivalry earned the ink and the coverage, (it even has its own Wikipedia entry) another equally intense rivalry existed between the champion Bulls and the upstart Pacers, and more so between the two star players, Michael Jordan and Miller. MIller was one of the few players at the time who did not fear Jordan, which of course angered MJ. In fact, during a regular-seasoned game on Feb. 12, 1993, Jordan became so enraged after an altercation with Miller, Jordan chased him down, nearly gouged MIller’s eye, and caught him with a sucker punch. Most infuriatingly, MIller was tossed from the game and Jordan shot technicals.
It was this perceived favoritism to the NBA’s poster boy that simply drove Pacer fans mad. But matchups were relegated to the regular season, throughout much of the ’90s, the Pacers and Bulls never met in the playoffs. So when they finally faced off in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, Indiana was spoiling for a fight, and to assert their rightful position as the next championship team.
In the above teaser for the final two episodes of ESPN’s The Last Dance, Miller doesn’t say anything Pacer fans, myself included, didn’t think at that time. The teams split the first six games, before the Bulls prevailed in Game 7 eventually winning Jordan’s sixth — and final — championship.
Returning to the perception of Jordan Rules and the double-standard afforded him, and only him, any non-Bulls fan could watch that series and note the preferential treatment Jordan received. No one committed more fouls not called than MJ, and Game 7 was absolutely indicative of that. The Pacers led for most of the game, but as the game entered the final five minutes, the Bulls took the lead and never relinquished it. As a fan, I’ll never forget Derrick McKey’s ill fated three with :17 left on the clock and the Pacers down 87-83.
The Pacers had the better starting five. While Jordan and Scottie Pippen are in the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, and Dennis Rodman is perhaps the greatest rebounder in the history of the game, the rest of the starting line-up and the bench pale in comparison to the Pacers, who’s starting line-up included two HOFers in Miller and Chris Mullin, and Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, and Marc Jackson were all NBA All-Stars at one point. Bulls starters Toni Kukoč and Ron Harper were very good, but never as skilled as Jackson, who retired at 4th on the all-time assists list (10,323). Jalen Rose and McKey were quality backups, and even Rik Smits, nearing the end of his career, was twice the big man anyone on the Bulls was. What, like anyone feared Joe Kleine?
The final two episodes of The Last Dance will premiere this weekend, and though I dread the continued love-fest that has been this paean to Jordan, it will be interesting to see if the Pacers are finally given their just due.
Knowing the four letter network’s slavish devotion to all things Jordan though, I seriously doubt it.